How to Pick the Right College

The biggest quest of your life begins right after you pass your higher secondary - that is when you have to find the right college for higher education. If you are searching for a college that suits you the most, you must be already thinking in numbers - your average score, number of seats in a college, rank of a specific college/institute, and the fee requirement.

While you’re involved in the number game, the long list of good colleges in India will leave you completely puzzled. Going for an institution, which is in your hometown or trading off your home comfort for a college away from home is another tough call to make. Amidst all this, the deadline of filling college and university application forms leaves you gasping for breath. The entire process – from picking a good institution to filling admission forms and meeting deadlines – therefore becomes utterly stressful.

So, how do you think you will find the right college to reach your career goals? Here's a quick guide to finding the college that’s best for you and your career.

1) Start with finding answers to ‘what do you want?’ and ‘why do you want?’

First, you need to figure out what you want, and which field will help you realize your career goals.

After this, start introspecting, find reasons why it is important for you to go to a specific college, or if there are some other better options that could help you achieve your career goals.

Additionally, try figuring out if you can shape your career dreams in your hometown or would have to move out to get some experience and exposure to get a better picture of the competitive world out there.

These things may not seem important at first because the primary focus for you as a student is to get admission in a top ranked institution. If, somehow, you get stuck in an institution that doesn’t fulfil your career prerequisites, then you will end up regretting your decision. In that case, it is important that you take out ample time to think about your decision carefully before going all out.

2. Seek personal recommendations

One of the best ways to find the right college is by talking to people around you; they can be a good source of instant information. These people could be your family members, relatives, teachers, counsellors or anyone who has been through a similar experience. Their suggestions and opinions can guide you in decision-making. See if at all their recommendations and feedbacks match with your long term goals. If yes, then you can go for the recommended college or any other that fits your criteria.

3. Reputation and ranking of a college

A college, which is popular and has a good reputation in the education industry, is a bonus when it comes to finding jobs. Students from prestigious institutions not only get more preference when companies are hiring (off the campus or otherwise), but they are also able to command better salaries. On another note, achieving your career goals is much more than getting admission in a college of high status and rank. Even If you do not make it to a prestigious institute, it is no way going to be a roadblock in achieving your career goals. 

4. Affiliation

You need to ensure that the college you shortlist is affiliated to a government body. Recently, there have been a number of cases where many students were not given jobs and considered for further education only because they were associated with colleges with no affiliations. To avoid landing in such a situation, you must ensure that your college has recognition from a government body.

5. Past records/achievements

Before applying for admission, you must do some research to know the college’s history. You must go through the college website or do some research online to know if at all the institution has received any accolades/awards for its education quality, especially for the course you are considering. You must also go through the records to know how the past batches have performed in a course you’re opting.

6. Infrastructure

For some, it may not be a big deal, but students should have infrastructure in their priority list when looking for a good college. After all, you’re planning to spend the next few years of your life in that campus. There is nothing wrong if you wish to have a big library, well-equipped laboratory, auditorium, spacious classrooms and a good, secure hostel in the college.

7. Faculty

Good faculty or staff members are the backbone of any college/institute/university. They are the strong pillars of an educational institute for training and guiding students. Try to find out who is going to teach you, what experience and skills they have. Experienced and skilled professors are certainly the best guides to give your career the right direction.

8. Campus hiring success ratio

Campus hiring success ratio is another important factor to consider before choosing a college for admission. Most students look for colleges with great placement history, which they often find out through news available on Internet and newspaper. When you’re investing your time, money and efforts in a course, your expectations of ROI are high. At the same time, your placement is not dependent solely on the success rate of your college. Your skills and abilities count more than anything else when it comes to landing a good job offer. Employers look at your academic record, extracurricular activities and your achievements in the past to consider you for a role in their organization.

9. Fee structure/ROI

There are certain institutions that provide admission to students based on their scores and academic achievements. In such institutions, a student’s percentage is the criteria for admission, whereas there are colleges that offer the same courses at lower percentages but higher fees. Usually, the fee structure of a particular college is mentioned on their official website or prospectus. You can go through the terms and conditions of the institution online to get a better perspective of their modus operandi for admissions.

10. Don’t rush into the decision

Before you take admission in a college of your choice, take some time out to think about your decision in order to avoid repenting later. Some students choose to take a year off to understand what they really want to do. There’s no harm in doing so! It is completely fine to take a break from the 12-year long routine, collect different experiences in life, and then get admission in the right institution. This way, you will get enough time to decide what exactly you want from your life.

It is not about finding a college, which is popular and considered a ‘brand’ name in the industry. It is also not about being a part of the herd. There are many lesser-known colleges/institutes that are worthy of everything you’re looking for and could help you shape your career in a better way.

While higher education costs are escalating, there are growing numbers of colleges/institutes/universities that are focusing on student-consumer value over ‘brand name’ or market prestige. Think wisely before taking any decision and to get higher return-on-investment from your future education.